Patricia McKenna
Encyclopedia
Patricia McKenna is an Irish
independent
politician. She served as a Green Party
Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) for the Dublin constituency
from 1994 to 2004.
, McKenna was formerly a member of the Green Party. She became the first Green Party candidate in Ireland
to be elected to the European Parliament
. She was elected to the European Parliament at the 1994 election
and was re-elected at the 1999 election
but lost her seat at the 2004 election
. She acted as one of the Dáil advisers to Ireland's first Green Party Teachta Dála
(TD), Roger Garland
. In 1997 she called for a boycott of Dunnes Stores
when it was reported to be selling clothes produced in a state-run factory in Burma.
A former teacher, she is active in People's Movement
which successfully campaigned for the rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon
in 2008.
McKenna has been involved in many campaigns as an MEP
and politician. She is perhaps best-known for her victory in the Supreme Court in 1995, in which she argued successfully that it was unconstitutional
for the Government of Ireland to spend taxpayers money promoting only one side of the argument in referendum
campaigns. This led to the setting up of the Referendum Commission
.
She is also well-known for her opposition to nuclear power
, genetically modified food
, and United States
-led military action in various parts of the world.
McKenna also campaigned against the Irish government's plan to join NATO's "Partnership for Peace
". She is a strong advocate of Irish neutrality
and the Shell to Sea
campaign, and was widely associated with the Eurosceptic
wing of the Green Party.
McKenna ran as Green Party candidate at the 2007 general election for the Dublin Central
constituency, but was not elected. She also strongly opposed the 2007 Programme for Government between the Green Party and Fianna Fáil
. After the election, she declared herself a candidate for the leadership of the Green Party, but the position was won by current leader John Gormley
. She was elected to the Green Party National Executive in April 2008. In July 2008 she was not selected as the Green candidate for the 2009 local elections
in the Cabra
/Glasnevin
area of the Dublin Central constituency.
In August 2008 she appeared in RTÉ's reality show
Fáilte Towers
. She was the fifth contestant evicted from the show.
Since September 2010, she has been studying for a degree in Law and Political Science at Trinity College, Dublin
.
in Dublin - attacking her party colleagues as "nothing but hypocrites" due to their role in the coalition government
, and that she would be "embarrassed to stand as their candidate".
Reactions by former party colleagues to McKenna's departure from the Green Party were mixed. According to Green Party senator Déirdre de Búrca
, "The pity about Patricia McKenna's move is that she did not do it at least a year ago and spare herself and her party colleagues a lot of time-wasting and strife. It has been increasingly clear that she does not share the same views on many issues with Green Party members."
McKenna was not elected at the 2009 European Parliament election. She received 17,521 first preference votes (4.3%). She was eliminated at the fifth count, after her former party colleague Déirdre de Búrca, who was eliminated at the third count.
In June 2010 she attended meetings with a number of former Green Party members to facilitate the formation of a new political party, Fís Nua
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
politician. She served as a Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
from 1994 to 2004.
Background
A native of County MonaghanCounty Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, McKenna was formerly a member of the Green Party. She became the first Green Party candidate in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to be elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. She was elected to the European Parliament at the 1994 election
European Parliament election, 1994 (Ireland)
The 1994 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1994 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details:-See also:...
and was re-elected at the 1999 election
European Parliament election, 1999 (Ireland)
The 1999 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1999 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details :-See also:...
but lost her seat at the 2004 election
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
. She acted as one of the Dáil advisers to Ireland's first Green Party Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD), Roger Garland
Roger Garland
Roger Garland is an environmental activist and a former Irish Green Party politician. He was the Green Party's first candidate to be elected to Dáil Éireann, representing Dublin South from 1989 to 1992....
. In 1997 she called for a boycott of Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores, also known as Dunnes, is a supermarket and clothing retail chain, that is based in Dublin, Ireland.The chain primarily sells food, clothes and household wares. In addition to its main customer base in Ireland, the chain has operations in Great Britain and Spain...
when it was reported to be selling clothes produced in a state-run factory in Burma.
A former teacher, she is active in People's Movement
People's Movement (Ireland)
People's Movement is an Irish pressure group which campaigns on a number of issues such as protecting Irish neutrality and against greater European Union integration...
which successfully campaigned for the rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
in 2008.
McKenna has been involved in many campaigns as an MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
and politician. She is perhaps best-known for her victory in the Supreme Court in 1995, in which she argued successfully that it was unconstitutional
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
for the Government of Ireland to spend taxpayers money promoting only one side of the argument in referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
campaigns. This led to the setting up of the Referendum Commission
Referendum Commission
The Referendum Commission is an independent statutory body in Ireland which is set up in advance of any referendum. The Referendum Act 1998 as amended by the Referendum Act 2001 provides for the establishment of the body.-Background:...
.
She is also well-known for her opposition to nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
, genetically modified food
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
, and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led military action in various parts of the world.
McKenna also campaigned against the Irish government's plan to join NATO's "Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
". She is a strong advocate of Irish neutrality
Irish neutrality
Ireland has a "traditional policy of military neutrality". In particular, Ireland remained neutral during World War II, and has never been a member of NATO or the Non-Aligned Movement. The formulation and justification of the neutrality policy has varied over time...
and the Shell to Sea
Shell to Sea
Shell to Sea is a campaign based in Cill Chomáin parish, Erris, County Mayo, Ireland which opposes the proposed construction of a natural gas pipeline through the parish and the ongoing construction by Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Vermilion Energy Trust of a refinery at Bellanaboy intended to...
campaign, and was widely associated with the Eurosceptic
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
wing of the Green Party.
McKenna ran as Green Party candidate at the 2007 general election for the Dublin Central
Dublin Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
constituency, but was not elected. She also strongly opposed the 2007 Programme for Government between the Green Party and Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
. After the election, she declared herself a candidate for the leadership of the Green Party, but the position was won by current leader John Gormley
John Gormley
John Gormley is an Irish politician. He was the leader of the Irish Green Party from 2007 to 2011, and was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency from 1997 to 2011. He served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2007–11...
. She was elected to the Green Party National Executive in April 2008. In July 2008 she was not selected as the Green candidate for the 2009 local elections
Irish local elections, 2009
The 2009 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, on the same day as the European Parliament election and two by-elections .-Overview:...
in the Cabra
Cabra, Dublin
Cabra is a suburb on the northside of Dublin city in Ireland. It is approximately northwest of the city centre, in the administrative area of Dublin City Council. It was commonly known as Cabragh until the early 20th century.- Transport and access:...
/Glasnevin
Glasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
area of the Dublin Central constituency.
In August 2008 she appeared in RTÉ's reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
Fáilte Towers
Fáilte Towers
Fáilte Towers was an RTÉ reality TV show that was broadcast as a one off during August 2008. The concept of the show involves thirteen celebrities running a hotel for sixteen days and nights in order to win money for their designated charities. The show format was not repeated nor was it exported...
. She was the fifth contestant evicted from the show.
Since September 2010, she has been studying for a degree in Law and Political Science at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
2009 European Parliament election
In May 2009, McKenna announced her intention to run as an independent candidate at the 2009 European Parliament electionEuropean Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
in Dublin - attacking her party colleagues as "nothing but hypocrites" due to their role in the coalition government
Government of the 30th Dáil
The 30th Dáil was elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and first met on 14 June when President Mary McAleese appointed Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, on the nomination of Dáil Éireann...
, and that she would be "embarrassed to stand as their candidate".
Reactions by former party colleagues to McKenna's departure from the Green Party were mixed. According to Green Party senator Déirdre de Búrca
Déirdre de Búrca
Déirdre de Búrca is a Green Party Irish politician and a former member of Seanad Éireann. She had represented the party on Wicklow County Council and Bray Town Council from 1999 to 2007 and in the Seanad from 2007 until her resignation from the parliamentary party in 2010.-Background:Born in...
, "The pity about Patricia McKenna's move is that she did not do it at least a year ago and spare herself and her party colleagues a lot of time-wasting and strife. It has been increasingly clear that she does not share the same views on many issues with Green Party members."
McKenna was not elected at the 2009 European Parliament election. She received 17,521 first preference votes (4.3%). She was eliminated at the fifth count, after her former party colleague Déirdre de Búrca, who was eliminated at the third count.
In June 2010 she attended meetings with a number of former Green Party members to facilitate the formation of a new political party, Fís Nua
Fís Nua
Fís Nua is a minor political party in the Republic of Ireland.The party was formed in June 2010, mainly by former members of the Green Party who were unhappy with that party's participation in the then coalition government with Fianna Fáil...
.